Basic Court Positions and Tactics in Singles and Doubles

Instructional film by The Professional Tennis Coaches Association. Professional tennis players demonstrate the basic court positions and tactics in singles and doubles matches.

Shot of a woman playing tennis in slow motion and hitting the ball over the net. Two women play tennis as the commentator Dan Maskell, former tennis professional, states that the tremendous speed with which lawn tennis is played today tends to hide the technical background of the game. The camera zooms out to show all four of the players on the court as the commentator explains that here we see some of the world’s top players in action. He claims that once you have learnt the basic positions and tactics then you too will also be on your way towards playing tennis on an instinctive level. Another doubles match is shown. Shot of a game of singles. The commentator describes the serving position of professional Charles Applewhaite. Close up of Applewhaite in the basic serving position. Close up of tennis coach Jane Poynder. The commentator says that having served from the basic position, she is able to cover both sides of the court. Continuing, Jane serves from the left court and again shows she is able to cover the court. Shots of Jane and her competitor hitting the ball back and forth across the court. Dan Maskell explains that when receiving the service, you need to stand just behind the base line within half a metre of the single side line. Coach Gina Huntington demonstrates this basic position. Shots of Gina Huntington and competitor playing tennis, with close-ups of Gina’s positions as she hits the ball. Maskell explains that after every shot Gina returns to the centre ready for the next. Shot of junior Wimbledon player Michelle Tyler practicing returning to the central position between shots. Another close up of Jane Poynder hitting the ball over the net. Michelle Tyler plays a match against Ruth Twin to demonstrate keeping the ball in play and making your opponent move. As the two women compete, Maskell explains that you have to find a weakness in your opponent. Michelle Tyler finds that Ruth Twin’s weakness is the backhand and so she uses tactics such as ‘wrong footing’ to make her opponent go the other way. Maskell then proceeds to discuss shot and volley. Professional Alan Mills demonstrates the positions. Slow motion shot of Alan Mills hitting the ball. Professional tennis player Paul Douglas leads a group of four children onto the court and gives them a tennis lesson. The children put their rackets onto a table with refreshments on and select which rackets they will need. They test the rackets under the instruction of Paul Douglas to see if they want to use a tight tension or a slacker tension. Maskell commentates that the subject of the next part of the film is doubles. There are close ups of the children as Paul Douglas explains the basic tennis positions and how to serve. He then explains the role of the volley and the server’s partner to the children. Shot of four international coaches demonstrating basic doubles tactics. During the shot of the tennis match, Maskell commentates that doubles is a team game and to note that the players work as a pair in both attack and defence. Camera zooms in on the logo on the coach’s jacket reading ‘Lawn Tennis Register- Professional Coaches Association’ with a Union Jack underneath.

Keywords

Doubles Matches; Instructional Film; Tennis; Sport; Sportspeople;

Background Information

Voice commentary by Dan Maskell O.B.E., the English ex-tennis professional who was well known for being the BBC’s “voice of tennis” and the “voice of Wimbledon”.